Apparatus for controlling sheets



July 10, 1928. 1,676,654

' H. E. LINDBLADH APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING SHEETS Filed July 5, 1921 Hamvwm A 77Z7/PNE Patented July l@, 1928.

HARMON E. LINIDBLADH, OF BRQOKLI NE, ILiIlIilSSACZ-FUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE LIND- BLADH CORPORATION, A CORPOBIATIOET OF MASSACHUSETTS.

APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING SHEETS.

Application filed; July 5, 1921. Serial No. 482,587.

In feeding sheets of; paper or similar material to various machines, of which ruling machines furnish an example, it is desirable to overlap the successive sheets to effect their more perfect control by the gate or like mechanism which stops and releases them in timed relation for delivery to the mechanisms which are to operate upon them. This is a recognized procedure in manual feeding, and is accomplished automatically by means which is the subject of my application Ser. No. 436,970, filed March 13, 1921, wherein the advantages are fully discussed. Improved apparatus for performing this overlapping is herein described and claimed, this being of a highly simple and effective character, and possessing the especial merit of being readily put out of action, as by converting it into a simple conveyor, when the sheets need not be overlapped.

In the accompanying dr. wing, several of the many embodiments which my invention may assume are illustrated, Figure 1 being a perspective view of one form of my improved controlling apparatus; Fig. 2, a broken perspective showing the non-overlapping arrangement of the conveyor of Fig. 1 Fig. 3, a longitudinal sectional detail giving another form of the overlapping rolls; and Fig. l illustrating in broken perspective still another embodiment of the invention.

In oppositely spaced. suitably supported side-bars 10, 10 are journaled, near the ends. rolls 11, over which operates a conveyor, preferably furnished by spaced tapes 13. To one of these rolls power is applied in any convenient manner, as tln'ougli the pulley shown, to advance the upper runs of the tapes in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1. This conveyor may receive at one end sheets delivered by any feeder. as that disclosed in my Patent No. 1,258,028, dated March 5, 1918, this machine not beinp here illustrated. At the opposite or forward end, the conveyor discharges the sheets upon the cloth or conveyor 14: of what is here shown as a ruling machine, of this there appearing only. in addition to the cloth, the receivingroll 15 and the gate 16 with its operating cam-shaft 17. The elements shown Coriespend to those of the machine of Patent No.

which is journaled a shaft l9'e xtending at right angles to the side-bars and between. the upper and lower runs of the tapes. Fixed upon the shaft 19, in the spaces between ad acent tapes, are rolls or shaft-enlargements 20, the length of which axially of the shaft is such that they do not interfere with the travel of the tapes, while the diameter is sullicient to cause them to project at their uper sides for a substantial distance above the upper runs of the tapes. The shaft and S\ 7130t0(l rolls are rotated by a belt '21, r: ssing over the rolls l1 and" driven by contact with the one to which power is applied, and also over a pulley 22 fast upon the shaft 19 and over a tightener or guide-roll 23 rotatable upon the lower portion of one of the blocks 18. The elements are so ,proportioned as to cause the rolls 20 to turn at greater peripheral speed than the rate of travel of the tapes. -Preferably, the rolls are secured to the shaft by set-screws. This allows them to be adjusted transversely of the apparatus, and their relation to the sheets fed varied to obtain "the best results.

Mounted to turn in the side-bars 10, at

opposite sides of the bearing-blocks 19, are transwersely extending shafts 24, 24, on each of which is mounted a pair of sprockets 2.7, 25. situated in close proximity to the inner faces of the side-bars. Over the longitudinally alined sprockets of these pairs operate chains 26, 26, the upper portions of which are secured at 27 to the tops of the bearing-- blocks. Upon one of the shafts 24 is fiXe-d a crank 28 to enable the operator to turn the shaft conveniently and, by the contact of its sprockets with the chain, shift the bearingblocks simultaneously in one direction or the other along the bars. As the pulley 22 and roll 23 traveltogether, this'will beacconr plished without disturbing the relation of the belt 21 or varying its tension. This movement of the bearing-blocks, and consequently of the shaft 19 with its rolls 20, will alter the distance of said rolls from the gate 16 of the machine fed.

It Wlll'be seen that a sheet, as that des ignated by the letter A, is advanced along the conveyor-tapes 18 and is stopped by the gate 16 of the ruling machine, partly upon the tapes 13 and partly upon the cloth 14, which would ordinarily be traveling at sub stantially the same speed. It may there be held by the gate, while the succeeding sheet B is carried by the tapes into contact at its forward extremity with the rolls 20. The curved peripheral surfaces of these rolls which project above the tapes are inclined upwardly at the side of contact in the direction of travel of the conveyors, and consequently the tendency is to deflect the sheet in this direction. This tendency is aided by the more rapid rotation of the rolls, which exert a force tending to lift and drag forward the end of the sheet, it assuming the position illustrated in Fig. 1, in which it is above the rear extremity of the preceding sheet which is being held by the gate. Then, as the gate rises and permits the advanceof the sheet upon the cloth, as is indicated at C, the sheets A and B travel together in partially superposed relation, the rear sheet continuing under the feeding influence of the rolls 20 until the rear extremity has cleared them. The sheets A and B will thus be overlappeo, and the gate, now lowered and resting upon the sheet A, will catch and arrest the sheet B with certainty, allowing plenty of time for said sheet to he brought by its contact into the correct angular osition, and without danger of its being projected beneath the edge of the preceding sheet, in which position its progress could. not be stopped by the gate. When sheets of another length are to be fed, the position of the rolls 20 may be suitably altered by turning the crank 28 in one direction or the other to change the space between the rolls and the gate. By this adjustment, the overlapping of sheets of any dimension within the capacity of the feeder may readily be effected.

When the so-called faint-line ruling is tobe done, or that in which the lines extend entirely across the sheets, no sheet-arresting action is desired and the gate is put out of operation. Consequently, the o erlapping device becomes unnecessary, and it may be rendered ineffective by its conversion into supports for the tapes, which now act merely as conveyors. To this end, the tapes are shifted upon the rolls 11 until they run over the peripheral surfaces of the rolls 20, instead of between them, as is illustrated in Fig. 2, and to enable them to be with certainty maintained. in this position, guide devices are provided for the tapes. These preferably consist of forks 30 (Fig. 1), the arms of which are so spaced as to just permit the edges of the tapes to pass between them. The forks are mounted upon a spindle 31 extending transversely of the tapes and fixed at its ends in the side-bars.

r Set-screws 32 are shown as threaded through the hubs of the forks for engagement with the spindle, this permitting the forks to be adjusted to and retained in the desired positions, giving the relation of the tapes which renders the overlapping rolls effective or ineffective.

If it is desired to obtain a more positive elevating effect than is given by the cylindrical rolls 20, there maybe substituted for these, upon the shaft 19, rolls35 having radial projections 86, of which four are illustrated in Fig. 3 of the drawing, separated by angles of 90 degrees. Each projection has converging opposite sides, which appear as curved in such a manner that they are inclined, as they initially receive and raise the sheets, upwardly in the direction in which these are traveling, offering little resistance to the forward movement and also giving the maximum lifting and advancing effect. The ends of the projections may be rounded at 88, so that when the overlapping function is to be nullified, the tapes may readily run upon them under the guidance of the forks 30, giving, as already described in connection with the form of Fig. 1, a mere conveying and not an overlapping effect.

For the rolls of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 there may be substituted the or anization a 3 carin in ig. 4. Here the shaft 19 carries, instead of the rolls 20, grooved pulleys 40, over which run elevating-conveyors, furnished by endless strings or belts 11. The forward ends of these elevating strings, in the direction of advance of the sheets, are supported by grooved pulleys 41-2,, rotatable about a shaft 43 journaled in the outer extremities of arms 14 pivoted about the shaft 19 ust inside the bars 10. pulleys may be determined and varied. by means of a screw 15 threaded into the shaft 13 and passing through an arcuate slot in one of the bars. This screw may be turned into contact with the bar to fix the shaft -13 and pulleys 412 in position. When these are raised to their maximum height with the shaft just beneath the upper runs of the tapes, the strings 11 will furnish inclined, traveling elevating surfaces, generally equivalent in action to the rolls 20 and If the overlapping effect is not desired, the shaft 413 is lowered until the upper portions of the pulleys, and consequently the strings, are below the tapes, the latter now presenting a horizontal conveying surface, and the overlapping device being out of action. Rotation of the shaft 19 for the purpose of driving the elevating strings and adjustment of the blocks 18 for, different sizes of sheets may be obtained in this instance in the same manner as in the form of Fig. 1.

I claim:

1.. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, means for advancing successive sheets, and

The height of the llU llh

flit:

meansassociatei'l with the advancing means for elevating the forward extremity of each sheet upon said advancing means above the preceding sheet, said elevating. means there after remaining in contact with the sheets throughout their lengths.

2. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, means for advancing the sheets, and sheetelevating means receiving sheets from the advanc ng means and co-operating with said advancing means to overlap the sheets, said elevating means contacting with said sheets throughout their lengths.

3. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, means for advancingsuccessive sheets, and rotatable means associated with the advancing means and having a peripheral portion arranged to engage and elevate the forward extremity of each sheet above the preceding sheet.

4. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, means for advancing successive sheets, overlapp ng means to which sheets are forwarded by theadvaneing means, and cooperating with said advancing means to effect the overlapping, both the advancing and overlapping means being movable, and means for moving the overlapping means more rapidly than the advancingmeans.

5. In an apparatus for controlling sheets,

means for advancing successive sheets, movable engaging means to which sheets are forwarded by the advancing means, and means for moving the engaging means more rapidly than the advancing means, said ongaging means being arranged to elevate the forward extremity of each sheet above the end of the preceding sheet upon the advancing means. i

6. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, means for advancing the sheets, sheet-overlapping means co-opcrating with the advancing means and arranged to elevate the forward end of each advancing sheet, and means arranged to position the overlapping means longitudinally of the advancing means.

7. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, means for advancing successive sheets, movable sheet-engaging means associated with the advancing means, means for moving the engaging means to elevate the forward extremity of each sheet above the end of the preceding sheet, and means arranged to adjust the position of the elevating means and a portion of the moving means with relation to the advancing means.

8. In an apparatus for controlling sheets,

separate endless sheetconveyors, and overlapping means for the sheets extending be tween and above the upper runs of the conveyors.

9. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, separate sheet-conveyors, and overlapping means for the sheets extending between the conveyors and having a surface arranged for engagement with the forward ends of the sheets and inclined upwardly in the direction of advance of said sheets.

10. In an apparatus for controlling sheets,

and having a sheet-engaging surface inclined in the direction of advance of the sheets,'and

means for moving said surface in the direction of advance of the sheets.

12. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, separate sheet-conveyors actingsimultaneously to advance such sheets, overlapping means extending between theconveyors, said overlapping means beingarranged to contact with the forward edge of each sheet, and means arranged to vary the position of the overlapping means longitudinally of the conveyors.

13. In anapparatus for controlling sheets, separate endless sheet-conveyors, and means extending between and above the upper runs of the conveyors and arranged to elevate the forward extremity of each sheet over the rear-f the preceding sheet.

1 1-. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, separate sheet-conveyors, means extending between the conveyors and arranged to elevate the forward extremity of each sheet over the rear of the preceding sheet, and means for moving the elevatin means'in contact with the sheets in the direction of advance of said sheets. i

' 15. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, separate sheet-conveyors, means extending between the conveyors and arranged to elevate the forward extremity of each sheet over the rear of the preceding sheet, and means arranged to adjust the elevating means longitudinally of the conveyors.

16. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, a conveyor, means for stopping the advance of a sheet upon the conveyor, and meansarranged to elevate the succeeding sheet above the end of the stepped sheet.

17. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, a conveyor, means for stopping the advance of a sheet upon the conveyor, and means movable to elevate the succeeding sheet above the end of the stopped sheet.

18. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, a conveyor, means for stopping the advance of a sheet upon the conveyor, means arranged to elevate the succeeding sheet above the end of the stopped sheet, and means arranged to vary the distance between the ele vating means and the stopping means.

Mi e

19; In an apparatus, for controlling sheets, separate sheet-conveyors, and members projecting between the conveyors and arranged.

I means associated therewith, the conveyor and overlapping means being arranged for relative movement to render said overlaping meanstemporarily ineffective. to overap ,thesheets.

23. In an apparatus for controlling sheets, a. sheet-conveyor, sheet-overlapping means associated therewith, and means arranged to. retain; the conveyors in position to render the overlapping-means,etfective or ineffective..

24. In anapparatus for controlling sheets, separate. sheet-conveyors having upper and lower runs, and sheet-overlapping members constructed and arranged to act between the upper runs of theflconveyors in the performance' of the overlappingiunction and between the upperand lower runs torender them ineffective to. overlap the sheets.

25.v A, sheet-controlling apparatus com-. prising separate endless traveling convey.- ors, and rotatable overlapping members extendingat alltimes in the overlapping action between the'conveyors forengagement with the sheets.

26. A sheet-controlling apparatus comprisingseparate endless traveling conveyors, and rotatable overlapping members extendingbetween the conveyors and having peripheral, portions in constantengagement with sheets traveling overthem.

27'. A, sheet-controlling; apparatus come 29. A. sheet-controlling apparatus comprising separate endless traveling conveyors, rotatable overlapping members extending between the conveyors for engagement with the-sheets, and a gate contacting with the sheets in advance of the overlapping members.

'80. A sheet-controlling apparatus comprising separate endless traveling conveyors,

and rotatable overlapping members extending between the conveyors for engagement with the sheets and constructed and arranged to support the conveyors and thereby nullify the overlapping function.

31. A sheet-overlapping apparatus comprisingseparate endless traveling conveyors having upper and lower runs, a shaft extending between. the runs of the conveyors, rolls carried by the shaft and arranged to extend between. the upper runs. of: adjacent conveyors, opposite bearing blocks for the shaft, and means arranged to move the bearing blocks simultaneously.

32.. A sheet-overlapping apparatus comprising separate endless traveling conveyors having upper and lowerruns, ashaft extending between the runsv of the conveyors, rolls carried by the shaft and arranged to extend between the upper runs of adjacent conveyors, opposite bearing-blocks for the shaft, a pulley fixed to the shaft, a guidepulley rotatable upon the bearingsblock, and a driving belt operating over said pulleys.

Signed at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and Statev of Massachusetts, this first day of July, 1921.

HARMON E. LINDBLADH.

Ion 

